Microsoft broadens Surface Pro 3 lineup with cheaper Core i7 option

Microsoft over the weekend introduced a new Surface Pro 3 model. It’s powered by the same Intel Core i7 CPU as the other two machines in the lineup but checks in with less onboard storage, resulting in substantial savings at checkout.

Priced at $1,299, the new Surface Pro 3 features an Intel Core i7-4650U chip operating at 1.7GHz (Boost up to 3.3GHz) alongside 8GB of RAM and Intel HD 5000 graphics. In terms of storage, the system comes with just 128GB of solid state storage. Up to this point, the cheapest Surface 3 Pro with an i7 would set you back $1,549 (although you do get double the space at 256GB).

Adding a model with less storage capacity makes a lot of sense for Microsoft. The truth is, many people now rely on streaming services and cloud storage providers, effectively lessening the need for large amounts of local storage.

At $1,299, the entry-level Core i7 system is priced the same as the high-end Core i5 Surface Pro 3. That system comes with a Core i5-4300U clocked at 1.9GHz (Boost up to 2.9GHz), 8GB of RAM, Intel HD 4400 graphics and a 256GB solid state drive.

It’s clear that Microsoft is marketing the newest addition to power users. Perhaps the only thing missing now is a Surface with more RAM. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 16GB would be nice but I digress.